European Commission signs SAFE agreement with Romania: 16.68 billion euros for defense, infrastructure
The European Commission on Thursday finalized the procedure for signing the SAFE Loan Agreement with Romania, a document signed last week by Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare and subsequently transmitted to Brussels, the Ministry of Finance (MF) announced on Thursday.
'Through this agreement, Romania will have access to European financing of 16.68 billion euros, the second largest allocation in the European Union under the SAFE instrument, after Poland. The program is intended for major investments in defense, strategic infrastructure and the consolidation of the European defense industry,' the MF said in a release sent to AGERPRES.
The SAFE instrument allows member states to access European loans under advantageous conditions, for urgent investments in security and defense. For Romania, the funding covers equipment projects, military technology, associated infrastructure and transport projects of strategic relevance. According to the plan submitted to the European Commission, the allocation includes approximately 4.2 billion euros for road transport infrastructure of national interest, with the difference being earmarked for equipment and infrastructure projects in the area of defence and security.
'The signing of the agreement by the European Commission confirms that Romania has completed the necessary steps on time to access one of the most important European financing dedicated to security. We are talking about 16.68 billion euros that can support defense, strategic infrastructure, national industry and jobs in sectors with high added value. The Ministry of Finance has treated this file as a priority, because SAFE is not just a financial instrument, but an investment in Romania's security and resilience. Through SAFE, Romania is not only investing in defense and security, but is creating perhaps the most important opportunity in recent decades to connect Moldova to the major European infrastructure', declared the Minister of Finance, Alexandru Nazare.
According to the cited source, in these months, concrete mechanisms have been created through which strategic projects in the region - Pascani-Suceava-Siret, Targu Neamt-Iasi-Ungheni and other essential investments for Moldova - will have a distinct and predictable record of financing until 2031.
'SAFE means security for Romania, but also one of the most important development opportunities for Moldova in recent decades. We have also created a distinct mechanism for recording financed projects, in the budgets of the credit officers who will manage the investments from this program, so that citizens can see transparently, until 2031, how much is invested annually in highways and infrastructure that can fundamentally change the connectivity and economic development of the region', added Nazare.
Romania signed the agreement on May 12, 2026, based on the approval of the Memorandum by the Government and the President of Romania. The original signed documents were promptly transmitted to the European Commission and arrived in Brussels on May 13, 2026.
The agreement establishes the conditions for granting the loan, the availability period and the mechanism through which Romania will be able to submit payment requests. The first draw can be requested in October 2026, and the loan availability period is until December 31, 2030.
After the entry into force of the agreement, the European Commission will be able to grant Romania a pre-financing of 15% of the loan, namely approximately 2.5 billion euros. Each tranche, including the pre-financing, will have a maturity of 45 years, with a grace period of 10 years.
The Ministry of Finance will manage the funds granted to Romania through SAFE, the Prime Minister's Chancellery will ensure the overall supervision of the Plan, and the beneficiary institutions - the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Special Telecommunications Service, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Protection and Security Service, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and the National Penitentiary Administration - will implement the projects and acquisitions undertaken through the Romanian Investment Plan.
SAFE is a temporary European instrument, created to support member states in making urgent and major investments in defense, in the context of the deterioration of the European security environment. For Romania, the financing represents both a security instrument and an economic opportunity: investments in industry, infrastructure, technology and strategic capabilities.AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Mariana Nica; EN - writing by: Bogdan Gabaroi)
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